There is one other possible means of scoring nd that is when a side is pressed by the pponents, and, instead of the opponents secur ig the ball, the defenders of the side secure it nd either kick, pass or carry it across their wn goal-line and touch it back behind their .wn goal. This entitles them to carry the ball put 25 yards for a kick. The opponents stand rn the 25-yard line while this kick is made. ['his safety, however, as it is called, counts two )pints against the side making it.
The game is divided into two halves of 35 ninutes each with a 10-minute intermission, and he side which has scored the greater number if points at the end of the full period of play Arius the game.
American football, while it started from the English Rugby Union rules, has developed in many directions so that the game would not now be recognizable to an Englishman. The one thing that he would see that possibly re minded him of Rugby would be that occasion ally a man runs in the open field with the ball. But the various formations and the tactics adopted would puzzle him exceedingly. Like the Rugby Union, however, there is some kick ing in it, but far less than in the English As sociation. In the English scrimmage the two lines of forwards push until the ball pops out somewhere, whereas in the American scrimmage the man in the centre who has possession of the ball snaps it out with his hand whenever he is ready to do so to the quarter-back who stands directly behind him and this man passes it to some other player of his own side. This enables the Americans to carry out their very elab orate system of plays because the ball can be absolutely directed at any time to any spot. So perfect has this development become that the quarter-back gives signals for the plays by means of which signals the entire team knows exactly what man is to receive the ball and where he is to run, with it when he has re ceived it. Thus the others may assist him very materially in making his gain. Some idea of the variety of plays can be gathered from the fact that teams can without difficulty execute no less than 40 to 50 plays, each distinct from the other. It is not difficult to imagine that with this highly developed form of attack a most thorough and well-studied plan of defense is equally necessary. It is also not difficult to understand that this development on both sides has brought about specialization in the work of various players so that almost every position on the field has a distinct line of duties which its incumbent must be able to perform with skill and accuracy. The signals are quite elaborate
codes, devised for easy memorizing, but at the same time sufficiently intricate and bewildering as to render the liability of discovery by the opponents very small.
In the American game the quarter-back usu ally gives these signals, although the captain sometimes prefers to give them himself.
The history of the game in America as in England and elsewhere has been one of dis cussion and opposition, the latter coming from those who believe that the sport is too stren uous. Kingly edicts were issued in the old days in England and in the United States State legislatures have been asked at various times to forbid the pastime. Yet it has lived on. In America the game has had already three great epochs as it were. The first in the 80's when the "block game" was legislated out of ex istence, then in the early 90's when "momentum mass" plays were excised and finally in 1906 when the 10-yard rule was adopted.
A widespread public sentiment was advanced in favor of such a change in the rules as might bring about more "open play," and it was further felt by the committee and their ad visers that the rules should be so modified and the powers of the officials so increased as to eliminate to the greatest possible extent un sportsmanlike tactics, and with these ends in view the committee decided upon the incorpora tion of two important changes. The first of these was the adoption of the 10-yard rule together with the forward pass and on side kick. The second general change was the incor poration of rules that in some cases greatly increased the penalty for unfair tactics, and in others did away with all excuses for indulgence in certain rough plays, at the same time pro viding for more efficient work by officials. To make sure that the wishes of the committee were carried out in this matter, the duties of the linesman were enlarged and he was made practically an assistant to the umpire and given absolute power to deal with certain classes of fouls. A second umpire was added. The American game thus has for its conduct four officials, the referee, whose duties are prin cipally related to the progress of the ball, the umpires who have charge as it were of the conduct of the players, the linesman who acts as an added umpire, at the same time assisting the referee in the matter of measurements and time keeping. WALTER CAMP, Yale University.